I recently hit “follow” on a social media account that brings me a bit of nostalgic fun. The posts revisit the period when I was in middle and high school. They may show a popular television commercial, a hot fashion trend, a well-loved food item, or some other tidbit of reminiscence. Seeing the images makes me smile. (And, if I’m being honest, sometimes makes me feel a little old!)

The other day, the account featured the cover of a popular teen magazine I read faithfully in high school. The minute I saw it, I not only recognized the cover but I remembered the spread of back-to-school clothing from JCPenney that filled its interior pages. Oh, how I’d longed to dress like the smiling models in the magazine. I remember circling the outfits I wished I could buy.

However, it wasn’t just the clothing I yearned for back then. Helpful articles provided tips and tricks for success as a teenager: how to get more out of study time, the proper way to apply makeup, how to get along with parents, and—of course—how to attract the attention of that certain guy you hoped would ask you to the homecoming dance.

Even at that young age, I was trying to find success in the various parts of my life. I clipped articles, circled pictures, wrote in my diary, and began keeping a planner—not only to track my social events but to keep me on schedule for studying. I thought if I just applied all I discovered, I could live all parts of life well.

I am not so far from my teenage self.

Pick any year of my adult life—whether it was college, when I was first married, my days as a new mom, or today, now that my children are older—and I still shoot for success in various areas, thinking somehow it comes from the outside in. If I can just unearth the best time-management tips, household hacks, health and beauty secrets—not to mention faith-based shortcuts that will catapult my spiritual growth—then my life will be happy and whole.

However, after three decades of adulting, I have learned an important truth: Getting your life together does not come from the outside in by simply applying principles you learn.

Instead, it comes from the inside out: learning to prayerfully set—and then carefully live out—your priorities, accepting the life that results.

So, how do we decide what our priorities are? Psalm 111:10 provides a fantastic starting place: “Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom. All who obey His commandments will grow in wisdom. Praise Him forever!”

If we want to properly live out our priorities, we first need to obtain wisdom. And the first step in obtaining wisdom is the reverent fear of the Lord. I love the picture painted by the original Hebrew word for beginning, which is reshith (pronounced ray-sheeth’) and means the foremost, the finest, or the choicest. It is the prerequisite of life, with everything else hinging upon it. Not only is it essential, but it is considered as crucial as the alphabet.

What does this mean?

Think about the alphabet for a moment. When a young child is taught to read, the first step is to learn, understand, and memorize the letters, including their sounds and how they affect other letters and sounds. A child’s future reading success hinges upon acquiring this knowledge.

It’s much the same with living our life God’s way. Our success begins with understanding the fear of the Lord, living it out daily, and returning to it when we stray.

Adapted from Karen Ehman and Ruth Schwenk, The Love Your Life Project: 40 Days to Prioritize Your Passions, Cultivate Productive Habits and Refuel your times of Rest. Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group, 2024. Used by permission. www.bakerpublishinggroup.com.

For deeper reflection, listen to Psalms 111 today! 

Learn how Karen finds joy in her life every day on the her Story Podcast!